Beepers/Cell Phones walkman/Electronic games
Beepers, cell phones,
Walkman, iPods and any electronic games are prohibited
during school hours. If confiscated, they will be
returned only to a parent or guardian by the
principal's office.
Bus Transportation
Requests for bus
transportation must be made through the school
districts. If, for any reason, a child is not going to
take the bus home on a given day, a note must
accompany the child to school that day. A change of
this type also requires that the parent guardian come
to the school to sign out the child at the school
office. No student is ever to be removed from the bus
line until the above is completed. On certain days
when the Public Schools are not in session and bus
service is not provided, parents must find alternate
means of transportation for their children. Students
who do not obey the bus rules, or who are the cause of
danger to others, will be denied the privilege of bus
transportation.
Calendars
During the first week of
school a calendar for the current year is sent home. A
tentative yearly calendar is included in the summer
mailing. Parents are responsible for making vacation
plans to coincide with the yearly calendar. NO extra
work will be given, and no tests will be made up, for
illegal absences.
Child Custody
Custodial parents are
entitled to receive original sets of report cards,
school and special event notices, school calendars,
etc.
Non-custodial
parents are generally entitled to receive duplicate
sets of report cards, school and special events
notices, school calendars etc.
Release of copies of
report cards, school notices, etc.: In the absence of a
court order to the contrary, a school will provide a
non-custodial parent with access to academic records
and other school information regarding the child. If
there is a court order specifying that this should not
happen, it is the custodial parent's responsibility to
provide the school with a copy of the court order.
Release of
children: Non-custodial parents may pick up a
child only if previous arrangements have been made.
Classroom Materials
Books are very
important tools that should be properly cared for in
the following manner:
- Textbooks
(government/school loan) MUST be covered and
labeled with NAME, GRADE, and SUBJECT.
- All books carried
in a proper school bag or backpack.
- Lost or damaged
books must be paid for by the student.
Students are strongly
encouraged to take pride in themselves, their
classroom and school, by keeping the facilities clean
and neat.
If any school
property, furniture and/or equipment is willfully
damaged or destroyed, the student (s) responsible will
be fined according to the extent of the damage.
Parents will be liable for all damages to any
equipment or school property.
Vandalism, of any
kind, of property, including graffiti will not be
tolerated at ICS. It could result in detention,
suspension and possible expulsion.
In order to support
and maintain the caring atmosphere which exists at
ICS, each student is expected to act in a respectful
manner toward the Principal, Vice-Principal, priests,
teachers, visitors, staff, Lunch Supervisors and
fellow students. Their respect should show itself in
the following ways:
- Students report to
class on time.
- Students do nothing
to endanger the well being of other students.
- Any sort of
violence is prohibited.
- Obscene language is
prohibited.
- Use of alcohol,
drugs, smoking is prohibited.
- Gum chewing is
prohibited.
- No food or drink
allowed in classrooms.
- Students must
adhere to uniform policy and dress code.
- Students are
responsible for maintaining and controlling one's
classroom and schoolyard behavior in order to create
an atmosphere conducive to learning.
Classroom teachers are
responsible for dealing with problems on grade level
and must keep parents informed. If further action is
required, the teacher will ask for a
parent-teacher-principal conference.
If a child continues
to have behavioral problems and continued attempts to
remedy the situation are unsuccessful; the child will
not be permitted to re-register for the next school
year. In some cases the student will be asked to
transfer within the week. Repeated neglect of behavior
policy may result in suspension and possible
expulsion.
Communication
Back to School Night
A parent meeting is
scheduled at the beginning of each school year to
afford parents the opportunity to meet your child's
teacher and to receive the explanations and
requirements by class for the coming year.
The Home
School Parents' Meeting
A Mandatory Parent's
meeting is scheduled at the beginning of each school
year to afford parents the opportunity to meet with
the Pastor, and the Principal to receive the
explanations and requirements of the school.
Ongoing
Communication
Ongoing communication
may be initiated by parent or teacher. The Principal
and teachers welcome opportunities to discuss matters
of concern. However, an appointment should be
confirmed before coming to school. Out of respect for
privacy, teachers and secretaries should not be phoned
at home.
Parents are never
allowed to go directly to a classroom while classes
are in session. During the school day, all visitors
must enter and leave by the school office. All
messages to teachers and students should be
communicated through the school secretary.
A school newsletter
distributed by the 1st of each month.
Only
official school letters are permitted to be
distributed to students on school grounds.
Confidentiality
There is a
professional and moral ethic that requires all persons
to safeguard all information of a privileged nature.
It is imperative that
such information be regarded as a sacred trust.
- If there is
evidence of knowledge that could impact on the
health or safety of any person, the teacher has the
responsibilities to share the information with the
principal.
- Under Section 423
of the Child Protection Services Act, school
officials are required to report when they have
reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming
before them in their professional or official
capacity is an abused maltreated child.
The rules that govern
privileged information apply, as well, to any personal
or academic information that is discovered through
daily classroom instruction or other social
interaction with students, parents, or peers. Always
the sense of the sacred should prevail.
Insurance
All students are
insured whenever they enter the school property.
Inclement
Weather During inclement weather, children are
to report at the appropriate time, as doors will NOT
be opened until the scheduled time. All inclement
weather announcements are posted on the web-site, Ch.
12 news, WVOX radio and on our phone system.
Internet Use by
student
The use of the
Internet is a privilege, not a right, and
inappropriate use or violation of any of the following
standards will result in consequences laid down by the
school.
1. Use of the computer
at school is limited to school related activities.
Internet users are expected to behave responsibly in
accessing and viewing information that is pertinent to
the mission of the school.
2. Vandalism and other infractions of school policy
while using the Internet will result in immediate
cancellation of privileges along with disciplinary
action.
3. Students must abide by the generally accepted rules
of network etiquette. These include (but are not
limited to) the following:
Standards of
Behavior
- Be courteous and
respectful in your messages to others.
- Use appropriate
language. Do not use vulgar, harassing, obscene,
threatening, abusive, or sexually offensive
language, or make any
statements that are slanderous or disparaging of any
students or adults. Illegal activities are strictly
forbidden.
- Do not reveal your
home address or phone number, or that of other
students.
- Note that
electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be
private. People who operate the system do have
access to all mail. Messages related to or in
support of illegal activities may be reported to the
authorities.
- Proofread your
message before you send it.
- Never agree to get
together with someone you "meet" on-line without
first checking with your parents or a responsible
adult at school.
- Only public domain
software ("shareware") can be downloaded. Copyright
laws must be respected.
- Do not post
personal messages on bulletin boards or "list
servers." Send personal messages directly to the
person to whom you want to write.
- Do not use the
network in such a way that you would disrupt the use
of the network for other users.
- All students are
required to sign an internet policy agreement.
Religious Development
ICS is first and
foremost a Catholic Elementary School. As such, all
activity will begin with a prayer, lifting our minds
and hearts to our God. Each morning there will be set
morning prayers, before and after lunch and before
dismissal, the teachers will lead their students in
prayer. Students participate in daily religion Class.
The Catholic Students are given the opportunity to
frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as
attend Class Mass and First Friday School Mass.
Throughout the year, certain religious exercises will
be offered to mark the holidays, as well as to let the
students experience their Catholic Culture.
In Grade 2, First
Confession followed by First Communion
In Grade 8, Confirmation
Parents are always welcome to attend any Class Mass
or First Friday School Mass.
Report Cards
In Grades K-8, the
Report Card is distributed 4 times a year (quarters).
In the Pre-K classes, reports are sent home at the
mid-term and end of the year.
Re-registration
There is a mandatory
non-refundable fee, per child, payable at the time of
re-registration. A deposit is due in January and the
balance in May. The general school fee must be paid in
full by August 1 for the coming school year. The
school reserves the right to reaccept only those
families who are meeting their financial obligations.
School Office
School office is open
for parents from 9:00 A.M. -Noon and from 1:00 -2:00
PM
Snow Days Emergence Closings
During inclement
weather, children are to report at the appropriate
time, as doors will NOT be opened until the scheduled
time. All inclement weather announcements are posted
on the web-site, Ch. 12 news, WFAS radio and on our
phone system.
Special Learning Needs
Students with learning
differences are children of God and members of the
Church. Immaculate Conception School makes every
effort to meet individual student needs. Sometimes,
however, a student may have needs that do not permit
him or her to benefit fully from the program. In those
cases your child's teacher and/or the principal may
schedule a meeting with you to discuss having an
evaluation of your child's learning needs.
Such evaluations can be done through the local public
school district, i.e., Committees on Special Education
(CSE's), or privately. Once the results of the
evaluation are available the teacher and principal
will meet with the parents to discuss the results of
the evaluation and the recommendations.
Suspension
When a student's
behavior warrants suspension from class, the Principal
will notify the parents. Depending on the nature and
frequency of a student's negative behavior, the
suspension from the classroom will take place either
in school or home, with all privileges taken away.
Transfer and
Withdrawals
When a student
withdraws from school, one of his/her parents should
come to request the transfer. If a parent cannot come
to the school, this must be done in writing, giving
the new address, dates of moving and name and address
of new school. All School textbooks, library books and
videos must be returned to the teacher. Transfer will
then be issued.
Tuition
Report cards are
withheld if tuition payments and other fees are not
up-to-date.
In June, students in
Grade 8 will not participate in any Graduation
activity including dances, trips, yearbook graduation
etc. if all financial matters are not cleared. In
addition, Pre-K and K students will not participate in
Achievement Day activities if all financial matters
are not cleared. No records will be forwarded to
another school until all financial matters are
reconciled.
SUMMARY STATEMENT
Once students have met
the necessary admission requirements and have been
accepted in the Immaculate Conception School,
the school warmly welcomes these students for the
coming school year and will strive to provide them
with a solid Catholic spiritual and academic education
in a supportive learning environment. Students and
parents must always be mindful that attendance at the
Immaculate Conception School is by invitation. It
is not a "right" because this is a private school.
Admission to and continued
enrollment in this school include responsibilities
regarding conduct, both inside and outside the
classroom and school, and students are
expected to conduct themselves in such a manner as to
a credit both to themselves and to their school.
In order to protect its
standards of scholarship, discipline and character,
Immaculate Conception School reserves the right,
and students and parents or guardian concede to the
school the right to require the withdrawal of any
student, at any time, for any reason deemed sufficient
in the sole discretion of the school and its
administrators. By the student's attendance at the
school, a student and his or her parents or guardians
acknowledge the important obligations and restrictions
contained in this handbook and agree to be bound by
the terms of this handbook.
Students attending
Immaculate Conception School relinquish certain
rights they might otherwise be entitled to if they
were attending a public school. For example, a
student's freedom of speech is limited in many
important respects here at our school. Speech either
written or oral, contrary to the Roman Catholic faith,
the teachings of the church or the directives of the
local Bishop or Ordinary is prohibited, as in any
other speech which is contrary or disruptive to the
philosophy and purposes of our school. Another
important right all students at Immaculate
Conception School surrender involves searches and
seizures. School administrators may search a student's
person and belongings if there is reasonable belief,
in the sole opinion of the administrator, that
contraband, illegal substances or inappropriate
objects are being concealed. Any unauthorized items
found may be seized. Additionally, student desks and
lockers, which are at all times under the joint
control of the school and the student to whom the desk
or locker has been assigned, maybe searched by school
administrators at any time, for any reason or for no
reason at all. Students should have absolutely no
expectations of privacy with regard to any item in
their desks or lockers.
Another important right
that a student and his or her parents or guardians
give up when they decide to have a student attend this
school is the right to sue the school, the parish or
the Archdiocese of New York, and/or any individual
acting on behalf of the school, such as the school
administrators, teachers, staff or any of their agents
for any matter relating to academic or disciplinary
decisions covered within this handbook. Each student
and his or her parents or guardians, by their
acceptance of enrollment at Immaculate Conception
School agree to and accept the school's rule and
policy that students, parents and guardians may not
bring any civil action in any local, state or federal
court or in any administrative agency or body to
challenge any school decision on academic or
disciplinary matters, including any decision relating
to the rules and regulations, procedures or programs
covered within this handbook. Students and parents or
guardians agree that any challenge to any school
academic or disciplinary action or relating to the
rules, regulations, procedures or programs covered in
this handbook may only be challenged or appealed
within the hierarchy of the school, subject to the
limitations contained in this handbook. This includes
any decision relation to the student's enrollment at
the school or termination of that enrollment.
While any student and his
or her parents or guardians are, of course, free to
consult with legal counsel regarding any school
decision taken with respect to a student, the school
emphasizes that student and parents or guardians are
not permitted to have legal counsel present during any
meetings with school administrators. School
administrators are not obligated to meet with legal
counsel at any time.
There are several grounds
for disciplinary action or expulsion set forth in the
"Discipline Codes" section of this handbook. It should
be noted, however, that any listing of prohibited
conduct is set forth by way of example only and to
provide guidance to the student and his or her parents
or guardians. It is not meant to be an exhaustive
listing of improper conduct or resultant disciplinary
action.
